Despite a week-long push, there is no deal yet on trade
between Canada and the European Union.
Andrew MacDougall, communications director for Prime
Minister Stephen Harper, said “we’re not there yet.”
Harper instructed Canada’s negotiating team to stay in
Europe all week to try to reach a deal, apparently so he could sign it when he
visits London, Paris and Dublin and then attends a G8 meeting in Ireland next week.
The Globe and Mail quotes MacDougall saying “we’re actually
trying to sign the most comprehensive trade agreement that Canada has ever
signed.
“It involves multiple levels of government and we’re not
there yet.”
That implies that one of the outstanding issues is opening
provincial and municipal tendering to European bidders.
It might also imply that supply management for dairy and poultry farmers remains an issue because the marketing board system is under joint federal-provincial jurisdiction.
Newfoundland is also balking at being asked to scrap its requirement
that the catches its fishermen make be processed at plants in Newfoundland.
